Project by

About this project

Who We Are

We are a collective of bicycle and computer enthusiasts who have joined forces to save the cycling world from boring bikes. It is our belief that every level of cyclist should be able to design their own bicycle, and fundamentally understand what they’re purchasing. On our streamlined, easy to use website, we give no-slant, no-nonsense, no-brainer explanations on every decision you make to help you decide on parts you want. Our recommendation and stat-line systems make it so anyone can navigate the complex world of bicycle design.

To do this, we have distilled bicycle design into its most basic form. Each component group affects different attributes of the bicycle, and we believe that they fall into six simple categories: lightweight, low maintenance, climb/acceleration, skill level, speed/performance, and simplicity. We simplify these decisions with brief explanations and our stat-line, which instantly displays the bicycles’ attributes. Complex and unique components will have detailed video explanations.

Everyone should share in the joy of a personalized ride. We want riders to fundamentally understand their machine, and exactly why it behaves so well. All the while, we kept things simple and intuitive, so it will never become overwhelming. Everyone is a bike expert at Emblembicycles.com. You will not only get an awesome bike, but you will know exactly why it is so awesome too.

Emblem Corsair; made in USA

Our Mission

Too often cyclists are dissatisfied with their purchase. They had to settle for the closest option, or pay extra to replace parts. These bikes are often used once and left in the garage to rot. We want everyone to ride bicycles and share in the experience of zipping around on two wheels. It has huge positive effects on society, from health to environmental concerns, but it also has great benefits individually, in mood and empowerment. Our contribution towards this effort is to offer customized bicycles alongside simple technical information, to narrow the gap between cyclist and machine.

Emblem Crown; Made in USA

Bikes

These bikes are of superb quality and workmanship. Each is built on a theme: the Citadel is durable and versatile; the Herald is light and swift; the Corsair is aggressive and fast; and the Crown combines traditional manufacturing and modern engineering. Our bikes are well-designed and expertly welded, and tested by racers and commuters alike.

Design an Emblem for racing or commuting or anything in-between

Rewards

Backers will receive various perks, from dri-fit t-shirts to early-access passes to use our website. Our personal favorite is the Emblem keychain (pictured below), which is a flat version of our head-plate. An Emblem's head-plate features the bike's unique serial number that is used to identify the bike. If you contribute $100 or more through Kickstarter, you will reserve a four, three, or two digit serial number (normally seven). Once these sets are exhausted, they will never be made again.

Emblem keychain, cut from stainless steel

Proceeds

We will use proceeds to finish our interface, while investing in new designs and their production. Designing an interactive website is an expensive and time-intensive process. We've gotten pretty far through elbow grease and willpower, but we need more capital if we're going to bring it to our personal standards. On our to-do list is a visualizer, which gives a photo-realistic renders of the builds, as well as skill-based recommendations.

We will use the remainder towards designing a brand new frame with your input. Backers who pledge $5 or more will be invited to the R&D (Rider & Designer) team, which votes on which design concepts to produce. Eventually we want to sell folding bikes, electric bikes, hardtails, CX bikes and more, but we can only do one at a time. The R&D team will be the main factor selecting our future projects, from form and function to building material and target price. Your thoughts and preferences will be fundamental to the design process.

Risks and challenges

We may encounter bugs or malicious attacks to our website and interface, which could seriously hamper our efforts to sell bicycles. Creating foolproof systems is not a one-man job, but Minda is doing his best. A significant portion of the proceeds will go towards our servers and security, to protect us from these risks.

Additionally, we may experience hiccups in sourcing our components. We expect our components to be easily available for the foreseeable future, but in the unlikely event that we can't stock components, we will work closely with backers to find a suitable substitute.

Our premium line (being our Corsair, Crown, and stainless customs) are mitered, welded, and painted in the USA. Our non-premium line, (being the Herald and the Citadel) are made by Taiwanese manufacturers, though a lot of work on the Citadel is done in China.

All frames are painted in the United States, by the lovely experts at Olympic Powder Coating in Santa Ana. Bikes are assembled in the USA.

Shipping is included only on non-bike rewards. Bicycle shipping has a lot of variance, and we don't want to overcharge anyone. Shipping should cost at most $80 within the USA. If you want to estimate international shipping, simply get a rate quote for a 30 lb. 50"x10"x30" package sent from zip code 91748 to your address. We get discounts and incentives, so this will be the absolute most you will pay.

Rewards

You selected

$1 reward

9 backers

Early Access: Instantly receive an access code for our bike-builder beta! Includes live-chat support from Craig, and access to technical videos explaining the different frames. You will also get project updates and videos, and get to be part of what makes Emblem possible.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

$5 reward

6 backers

R & D Invite: Join the Rider & Designer team that votes on Emblem’s next bicycle! If you want to support our vision, but we don’t sell a frame that fits your needs, join the team that helps select our future offerings. R&D members’ input will be asked for individual design decisions on these projects. Includes above rewards.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

$10 reward

4 backers

Sticker Pack: Get a stack of assorted stickers, and rep Emblem’s awesome logo on any smooth surface. Includes above rewards.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$25 reward

10 backers

Headplate Keychain: Get an Emblem keychain, cut from sheets of stainless steel. Choose any 10 numbers to be laser engraved into this beauty. Great for gifts, or to commemorate anniversaries or birthdays. Includes above rewards.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$45 reward

8 backers

Emblem Dri-fit Shirt: Cycle in a breathable, wicking, and stunning Emblem shirt. Comes in great neons for extra visibility. Male and female and all sizes for flattering fits. Includes above rewards.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$70 reward

3 backers

SWAG BAG: Can’t choose from the above? Get it all, and then some! Get two Emblem shirts, two keychains, and a ton of stickers. Includes R&D invite and early access.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$100 reward

1 backer

Limited Edition Serial Number (Citadel): Reserve a limited release 4-digit serial number for a future Citadel purchase, made only while supplies last. Reward will include $40 of free component upgrades! Includes swag bag, R&D, and early access. Complete bicycle sold separately.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$175 reward

1 backer
Limited (199 left of 200)

Limited Edition Serial Number (Herald): Reserve a limited release 3-digit serial number for a future Herald purchase, made only while supplies last. Reward will include $80 of free component upgrades! Includes swag bag, R&D, and early access. Complete bicycle sold separately.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$250 reward

1 backer
Limited (49 left of 50)

Limited Edition Serial Number (Corsair or Crown): Reserve a limited release 2-digit serial number for a future Corsair or Crown purchase. Will feature black anodized head-badge, made only while supplies last. You will also receive $120 of free component upgrades! Includes swag bag, R&D, and early access. Complete bicycle sold separately.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

$450 reward

3 backers
Limited (22 left of 25)

Rush Limited Ed. Citadel- Want your Emblem Citadel, and want it now? You will receive a Emblem Citadel, with priority assembly and shipping. Will feature a limited release 4-digit serial number. We will mail out these frames within 3 days of the frame being painted. Will feature 4-digit limited serial number, with matching keychain.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$800 reward

1 backer
Limited (24 left of 25)

Rush Limited Ed. Herald- You bike fast? We ship fast! You will receive a complete Emblem Herald to customize, with priority assembly and shipping. We will mail out these frames within 3 days of the frame being painted. Will feature 3-digit limited serial number, with matching keychain.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$1,600 reward

1 backer
Limited (24 left of 25)

Rush Limited Ed. Corsair- Crush the pursuit, with the USA-made Emblem Corsair! Will feature a limited release 2-digit serial number on a black anodized head plate. Will be first priority in manufacture and assembly, alongside orders for the Crown. Includes matching keychain.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$2,300 reward

0 backers
Limited (25 left of 25)

Rush Limited Ed. Crown- Ride with pride, on the USA-made Emblem Crown. Will feature a limited release 2-digit serial number on a black anodized head plate. Will be first priority in manufacture and assembly, alongside orders for the Corsair. Includes matching keychain.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

Only ships to: United States

You selected

$5,000 reward

0 backers
Limited (10 left of 10)

Special Edition Stainless Vanguard- We will custom build a stainless steel frame to perfectly fit your anatomy and proportions. It will feature a super-exclusive one-digit serial number. This frame was previously exclusive to our racing teams, but we have decided to manufacture ten for Kickstarter backers. Will hand-select tubes and geometry to fit your needs and riding style.

Estimated delivery:Jul 2013

Ships anywhere in the world

Funding period

May 15, 2013 - Jun 14, 2013
(30 days)

Eureka! You've found our little secret.

Sign up for our Happening email for all the inside info about arts and culture in the Kickstarter universe and beyond.